Actuarial Graduate

About Us

Spence & Partners (Spence) provides full pension actuarial, consulting, investment consulting and administration services that offers simply smarter solutions for trustees, employers, and members.

We are excited about the future. The industry in which we operate offers a dynamic and challenging environment and our excellent reputation is contributing to the growth of our business from an expanding portfolio of clients. With our unique approach to the provision of services, we aspire to continue to extend our client base and deliver truly integrated solutions across our work through the use of our highly innovative software platform, Mantle.

We are defined by our ethos and by our goal:

• Our ethos is an individual and collective commitment achieved through carefully balancing responsibility with freedom and flexibility, all of which is underpinned by a willingness to work interdependently. When we get this balance right, it is how we do our best work.
• Our goal is to provide interesting, worthwhile, and healthy careers for our colleagues; we believe that this emphasis sets us apart from our competitors. We do not pigeonhole colleagues and aim to provide challenging and interesting work which will allow our staff to build rewarding careers. We will support you every step of the way.

Spence is part of the 3173 Group of companies, which also includes Dalriada Trustees Limited, one of the UK’s largest professional pension scheme trustee companies, and Mantle, which reimagines the traditional models of defined benefit pensions administration and actuarial valuation software. Joining us can open up opportunities for you to use your experience to add value across the group.

We have clients throughout the UK, serviced from offices in London, Belfast, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, and Leeds. More information about what it’s like to work at Spence can be found here.

About You

As a Graduate you will work with our team to create a personal development plan in order to support your development in the company and the industry. A structured training plan will help you grow your knowledge and drive your career. As part of your training, you will be given the opportunity to be exposed to all aspects of our Business acquiring a breadth of knowledge and experience that will enable you to become a credible and effective Actuarial and Investment professional.

As an integral part of our Actuarial and Investment team, you will contribute to a wide range of work within the pensions sector; incorporating the provision of advice and technical support to the Trustees and Sponsoring Employers of pension schemes, as well as our work with the Pension Protection Fund and Charity/Not for Profit organisations. This provides the opportunity to enhance your technical abilities and develop core actuarial competences on a daily basis whilst working in a challenging environment as part of a rapidly growing, innovative pension consulting firm. You will liaise with colleagues throughout our office locations and work on clients from a diverse range of industries.

We are particularly keen to welcome applicants on relevant degree courses but who have not studied actuarial/investment subjects to date, and see this as an opportunity to develop their skills/knowledge and gain professional qualifications in a working environment.

As part of our Actuarial and Investment team, you will:

1. Help provide a client service that is proactive, timely and fully focused on the needs of the client and maintains the excellent reputation that has been established by our impressive team.
2. Be encouraged to use your creativity and critical thinking to come up with tailor-made solutions to unique problems.
3. Demonstrate excellent communication skills through regular interaction with clients.
4. Be trained on the use of our bespoke in-house software, Mantle, to assist you to consider the risks to our clients and develop appropriate solutions that meet our client’s needs.
5. Learn how to prepare actuarial and member benefit calculations, creating actuarial models to address a diverse range of client requirements.
6. Assess the impact of changing demographics or legislation on pension schemes and the effects that changes in financial markets have on different organisations.
7. Carry out stochastic Asset Liability Modelling to advise clients on their investment strategies and then assess the performance of these strategies.
8. Draft reports and presentations to clients in support of their decision making in managing their pension scheme arrangements.
9. Support our work with the Pension Protection Fund as a member of its Specialist Administration and Actuarial Services Panel.
10. Perform in accordance with financial targets and standards; time recording, budget monitoring, billing and all other aspects of financial management.

Responsibilities & Criteria

1. An honours degree at 2:1 level or above.
2. A Levels, or equivalent – Mathematics and English at Grade B or above.
3. Excellent IT skills and competent in Microsoft packages, e.g. Word and Excel, with an aptitude for learning other systems.
4. Experience of working proactively and using your own initiative to complete tasks.
5. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
6. Ability to display a keen interest in the industry and environment in which we operate.
7. Eligibility to work in the UK.

Desirable Criteria

1. Work Experience or Placement in a Professional Services environment.

Behavioural Competencies for the Role

1. Inspiring Leadership, Strategic Thinking, Impacting & Influencing, Client Engagement, Collaborative Working, Problem Solving, Planned Approach, Professional Approach.

Salary & Benefits Package

If you are successful you will receive a competitive salary and benefits package outlined on our careers page. We will also provide financial support and study leave in the pursuit of your professional examinations.

To find out more about this programme and the experiences of our previous graduates, please check our Graduate Brochure.

Location(s)

This role will be based out of our Belfast office, our Glasgow office may be considered.

We are an equal opportunities employer.